TW 5 4h Wd 1 8 % 7 | 2 00 4 3. 288 / 1 1 af 25 , 1 , f = — I” 85 TH 4006 | | ( ed aasee TW 5 4h Wd 1 8 % 7 | 2 00 4 3. 288 / 1 1 af 25 , 1 , f = — I” 85 TH 4006 | | ( ed aasee 33 N E S S AN Is AZ S | ALEXANDER POPE It. Enlarged and Improved by the AUTHOR, | Wich NOTES by 2 4 Mr, WARBURTON, 5 —— WF” "= % + — bw 9 20 « 4 "ef. 11 474 : EE fs 2 e 0 TIA *\ — — — 1 739 * * 222497 TL I 90 12229 4 Pond f. , | L 0 MF DEI ; Printed for Joun and PAUL KENnaAPToON in Ludgate-ſtreet. MDCCXLVI1. [Price Eighteen-Penge,] .-- a }; ADVERTISEMENT, HE ESSAY ON MAN, to uſe the Author's own Words, is a perfect 8 Syſtem of Ethics; in which Definition N he included Religion: For he was far from that Opinion of the noble Writer of the Characte- riſticks, that Morality could long ſupport it- $ ſelf, or have even a real exiſtence, without a 1 reference to the Deity. Hence it is that the firſt Epiſtle regards Man with reſpe& to the Lo: ” and Governor of the univerſe; ; as the /e- cond, with reſpect to h7;1ſelf ; the third, to So- ciety; and the fourth to Happineſs. Having therefore formed and finiſhed his Eſſay in this View, he was much mortified whenever he found it conſidered in any other; or as a part and introduction only to a larger work. As apprars from the conclution of his ſecond Dia- logue, intitled 1738, where he makes his im- pertiucnt adviſer ſay, ' "6 Alas! alas] pray end «what you began, : A. And worite, next winter, more Efſays on Man. a 2 . iv ADVERTISEMENT. which a MS. note of his thus explains, The Author undoubted:y meant this as a * Sarcaſm on the ignorance of thoſe friends of his, who were daily peſtering him for * more Eſſays on Man, as not ſeeing that the . % pleted that Subject.“ But it muſt be owned that the Public, by the great and con- tinued demand for his Eſſay, ſufficiently freed itſelf from this imputation of wrong Judgment. And how great and continued that demand has been, appears from the vaſt variety of pirated and imperfect Editions continually obtruded on the world, ever fince the firſt publication of the Poem; and which no repeated proſecuti- ons of the Offenders have been able totally to reſtrain. * Theſe were the conſiderations which have now induced the Proprietor to give ane per- fett Edition of the Eſay on Man, from Mr. Pape's laſt corrections and improvements; that the Public may from hencetorth be ſupplied with this Poem alone, in a manner ſuitable to its dignity, and to the honeſt intention of its great Author, Concerning the UNIVERSAL PRAYER, which concludes the Hax, it may be proper to ebierve that ſome paſlages in the Eſſay having four Epiſtles he had publiſhed entirely com- ADVERTISEMENT. v been unjuſtly ſuſpected of a tendency towards Fate and Naturaliſm, the Author compoſed that Prayer as the Sum of all, to ſhew that his Syſtem was founded in Free-will and ter- minated in Piety : That the firſt Cauſe was as well the Lord and Governor as the Creator of the Univerſe; and that by Submiſſion to his Will (the great principle inforced throughout the Eſſay) was not meant the ſuffering ourſelves to be carried along with a blind determination but a religious acquieſcence, and confidence full of hope and immortality. To give all this the greater weight and reality, the Poet choſe for his Model the Lo R D's PRAVE R, which of all others beſt deſerves the title pre- fixed to his Paraphraſc. The Reader will excuſe my adding a word concerning the Frontiſpicce 3 which as it was defigned and drawn by Mr. Pope himſelf, would be a kind of Curioſity had not the excellence of the thought otherwiſe recommended it. We ſee it repreſents the Vanity of human Glory, in the falſe purſuits after Happineſs: Where the Ridicule, in the Curtain-cobweb, the Death's head crown'd with laurel, and the ſe- veral Inſcriptions, have all the force and beau- ty of one of his beſt wrote Satires : Nor is there leſs expreſſion in the hearded- Philoſopher litting by a fountain running to waſte, and vi ADVERTISEMENT. blowing up bubbles with a ſtraw from a ſmall rtion of water taken out of it, in a dirty diſh ; admirably repreſenting the vain buſineſs of School-Philoſophy, that, with a little arti- ficial logic, fits inventing airy arguments in ſupport of falſe ſcience, while the human Un- derſtanding at large is ſuffered to lie waſte and uncultivated. TO THE AUT OF THE ESSAY on MAN. HEN Love's * great Goddeſs, anxious for her Son, Beheld him wand' ring on a Coaſt unknown, A Huntreſs in the Wood ſhe feign'd to ſtray, To cheer his drooping Mind, and point his Way. But Venus Charms no borrow'd Form could hide; He knew, and worſhip'd his CELESTIAL GUIDE. Thus vainly, PoE, unſeen you would diſpenſe Your glorious Syſtem of Benevolence; ® ZXncid. 1. 2 u f bs n T ($] And heavenly taught, explain the Angel's Song, That Praiſe to God, and Peace to Men belong. Conceal'd in vain, the Bard divine we know, From whence ſuch Truths could ſpring, ſuch Lines could flow. Applauſe, which juſtly ſo much worth purſues, You only can DESERVE, or could RxrUsE. C. L 99 TO THE Conceal'D AUTHOR OF I HE ESSAY on MAN. ES, Friend! thou art conceal'd. Conceal'd ! = but how ? Ever the Brighteſt, more Refulgent now, By thy own Luſtre hid ! each nervous Line, Each melting Verſe, each Syllable is thine. But ſuch Philoſophy, ſuch Reaſon ſtrong, Has never yet adorn'd thy lofty'ſt ſong. Doſt thou, Satyric, Vice and Folly brand, Intent to purge the Town, the Court, the Land? Is thy deſign to make men good and wile, Expoſing the deformity of Vice? Do'ſt thou thy Wit at once and Courage ſhow, Strike hard, and bravely vindicate the blow? & Do'ſt thou delineate God, or trace out Man, The vaſt Immenſity, or mortal Span ? 3 L| 20 ] Thy Hand is known ; nor needs thy Work a Name, The Poem loudly muſt the Pen proclaim. I ſee my Friend! O ſacred Poet, hail ! The brightneſs of thy Face defeats the Veil. Write thou, and let the World the Writing view, The World will-know and will pronounce it You. Dark in thy Grove, or in thy Cloſet fit, We ſee thy Wiſdom, Harmony, and Wit; Forth breaks the blaze aſtoniſhing our ſight, Enſhrin'd in Clouds, we ſee, we ſee thee write. So the ſweet Warbler of the Spring, alone, Sings darkling, but unſeen her Note is known ; And fo the Lark, inhabiting the Skies, Thrills uneonceal'd, tho? wrapt from mortal eyes. J. X. AUTHOR ESSAY on MAN. S when ſome Student firſt with curious eye - Thro' Nature's wondrous Frame attempts to i & His doubtful Reaſon ſeeming Faults ſurpriſe, He aſks if This be juſt, if That be wile ? Storms, Tempeſts, Earthquakes, Virtue in Diſtreſs, | | And Vice unpuniſh'd, with ſtrange Thoughts oppreſs, Ill thinking on, unclouded by degrees, His Mind he opens, fair is all he ſees : Storms, Tempeſts, Earthquakes, Virtue's ragged er Plight, And Vice's Triumph, all are juſt and right: hHeauty is found, and Order, and Deſign, ud the whole Scheme acknowledg'd all divine b 2 12 So when at firſt I view'd thy wondrous Plan, Leading thro? all the winding Maze of Man; Bewilder'd, weak, unable to purſue, My Pride would fain have laid the Fault on You. This falſe, That ill-expreſt, this Thought not good; And all was wrong which I miſ-underſtood. - e = . .- 1 * 2. Y 4 4 3 1 5 G. - 1 ? 2 * . | - 4 = 5 1 Fs * 6 Js; But reading more attentive, ſoon I found The Diction nervous, and the Doctrine ſound ; * Saw Man, a Part of that ſtupendous Whole, Whoſe Body Nature is, and Gad the Soul; 4k Saw in the Scale of Things his middle State, 2 And all his Pow'rs adapted juſt to That: Saw Reaſon, Paſſion, Weakneſs, how of uſe, How all to Good, to Happineſs conduce: Saw my own Weakneſs, thy ſuperior Pow'r, And ſtill the more I read, admire the more, | E 0 0 A Se R A V 0 Mr. 0 £ By a LAP V. ATHER of Verſe! indulge an artleſs Muſe, Juſt to the warmth thy envy'd Lays infuſe. Rais'd by the Soul that breathes in ev'ry Line (My Phoebus thou, thy awful Works my Shrine!) Graceful I bow, thy mighty Genius own, And hail thee, ſeated on thy natal Throne. Stung by thy Fame, tho' aided by thy Light, Sec Bards, till now unknown, eflay to write : Rous'd by thy heat unnumber'd Swarms ariſe, As Inſects live beneath autumnal Skies : While Envy pines with unappeas'd Deſire, And each mean Breaſt betrays th' invidious Fire. Yet thou, great Leader of the ſacred Train, (Whoſe Parthian ſhaft ne'er took its flight in vain) Go on, like Juvenal, arraign the Age, Let wholeſome Satyr looſe thro? ev'ry page, 1 14 ] Born for the taſk, whom no mean Views inflame, Who launce to cure, and ſcourge but to reclaim. Vet not on Satyr all your hours beſtow, Oft from your Lyre let gentler Numbers flow; Such ftrains as breath'd thro* Windſor's lov'd Retreats, &. And call'd the Muſes to their ancient Seats : Thy manly force, and Genius unconfin'd, {A Shall mold to future Fame the growing Mind : To ripen'd Souls more ſolid aids impart, And, while you touch the Senſe, correct the Heart : Yet tho” o'er all you ſhed diffuſive light, Baſe Minds will envy ſtill, and Scriblers write. Thus the imperial Source of genial Heat Gilds the aſpiring Dome, and mean Retreat; Bids Gems a ſemblance of himſelf unfold, And warms the purer ductile Oar to Gold: Yet the ſame Heat aſſiſts each reptile Birth, And draws infectious Vapours from the Earth. APW... -. ih y £ _— 1 1 * wy 125 * by c T0 = — By Mr. SOMERVILLE. AS ever Work to ſuch Perfection wrought! y * How elegant the Diction! pure the Thought! Not ſparingly adorn'd with ſcatter'd Rays, But one bright Beauty, one colleCted Blaze. So breaks the Day upon the Shades of Night. Enliv'ning all with one unbounded Light. To humble Man's proud Heart thy great Deſign; But who. can read this wondrous Work Divi ine, 80 juſtly plan'd, and fo politely writ, : And not be proud, and boaſt of human Wit? Eo. Yet juſt to Thee, and to thy Precepts true, We 4 10 us know Man, and give to God his Due; lis Image we, but mix'd with coarſe Allay, Our Happineſs, to love, adcre, obey; -4 = —_—_—— . — Cs ee en ern LE Ol — te 4 *²⁵ òrÜ᷑ «Ä eo 9 1% 22 — -- | _ | \ | 4 4 Wi! At 3 — — —— — wn L031 To praiſe him for each gracious Boon beſtow'd, For this thy Work, for ev'ry leſſer Good, With proſtrate Hearts before his Throne to m And own the great Creator All in All. The Muſe, which ſhould inſtruct, now entertains, On trifling Subjects in enervate Strains; Be it thy Taſk to ſet the Wand'rer right, 6 Point out her Way in her aerial Flight, + ; Her noble Mien, her Honours loſt reſtore, I of And bid her deeply think, and proudly ſoar. 'Thy Theme ſublime, and eaſy Verſe will prove 925 Her high Deſcent, and Miſſion from above. Let others now tranſlate, thy abler Pen Shall vindicate the Ways of God to Men; In Virtue's Cauſe ſhall groriouſly prevail, When the Bench frowns in vain, and Pulpits fail, Made wiſe by thee, whoſe happy Style conveys The pureſt Morals in the ſofteſt Lays. As Angels once, ſo now we Mortals bold Shall climb the Ladder Jacob view'd of old; Thy kind reforming Muſe ſhall lead the Way, 8 To the bright Regions of Eternal Day. 8 1 9 * * = * f N F A N ESSAY on MAN. 0 HENRY Sr. Jo EN, I. BOLINGBROKE. r e Written in the Vear 1732. 3 ob i, a CEE. ws er ts Oe ͤ JL. — e e „ wb 3 1 9 N DE SI AVING propoſed to write ſome pieces on H Human Life and Manners, ſuch as (to uſe my Lord Bacon's expreſſion) come home to Men's Buſineſs and Boſoms, JI thought it more ſatisfactory to begin with conſidering Man in the Abſtract, his Nature and his State: fince, to prove any moral Duty, to enforce any moral Precept, or to examine the Per- fection or Imperfection of any Creature whatſoever, it is neceſſary firſt to know what condition and rela- tion it is placed in, and what is the proper end and purpoſe of its Being. | The Science of Human Nature is, like all other Sciences, reduced to a few, clear points; There are not many certain Truths in this World. It is there- fore in the Anatomy of the Mind, as in that of the Body, more Good will accrue to mankind by attend- ing to the large, open, and perceptible parts, than by ſtudying too much ſuch finer nerves and veſſels as: will for ever eſcape our obſervation. The Diſputes are all upon theſe laſt, and I will venture to ſay, they have leſs ſharpen'd the Mits than the Fearts ot Men againſt each other, and have diminiſh'd the Practice, more than advanced the Thcery, of Mora- lity. If 1 could flatter myſelf that this Eſſay has any Merit, it is in ſteering betwixt Doctrines ſeem- ingly oppolite, in paſſing over Terms utterly unin- telligible, and in forming, out of all, a temperate yet C 2 4 % _ ® = a "* 5 = _— ſa %%% ² U 2 - — 1 | 5 | 20 The DESIGN. not inconſiſtent, and a ſhort yet not imperfect Syſtem of Ethics. This I might have done in Proſe; but: I choſe Verſe, and even Rhyme for two Reaſons. The one will appear obvious; that principles, maxims, or precepts ſo written, both ſtrike the reader more ſtrongly at firſt, and are more eaſily retain'd by him afterwards. "The other may ſeem odd, but is true; I found I could: expreſs them more ſhortly this way than in Proſe itſelf; and nothing is truer than that much of the Force, as well as Grace of Arguments or Inſtructions depends on their Conciſeneſs. I was unable to treat this part of my ſubject more in de- tail, without becoming dry and tedious: or more poeticaily, without ſacrificing Perſpicuity to Orna- ment, without wandering from the Preciſion, or breaking the Chain of Reaſoning. If any man can unite all theſe without diminution of any of them, I keelNeonfeſs he will compaſs a thing above my Capas; What is now publiſh'd, is only to be conſidered as a general Map of Max, marking out no more than the Greater Parts, their Extents, their Limits, and their Conmection, but leaving the particular to be more y delineated in the Charts which are to follow. Conſequently theſe Epiſtles in their progreſs (if I have health and leiſure to make any progreſs) will become tefs dry and more ſuſceptible of Ornament, I am here only opening the Fountains, and clearing the paſſage; To deduce the Rivers to follow them in their coſe, and to obſerve their Sects, would be a talk more agrecable. T. H e n N FTLONTEMES at ts — 1 8 8 48 e | re E P I 8 = 1 E I. 7 | 4 - or Of the Nature and State of Man, with reſpect ag | | to the UNIVERSE, ; 5 A be O* Man in the ab/traft — That we can judge only as * with regard ta our own ſyſtem, being ignorant = O the relations of ſy/tems and things, » 17, &c. £1 i That Man 1s not to be deemed imperfect, but a Being nl * ſuited to bis place and rank in the creation, agree- „e able to the general Order of Things, and conform- 16 able to Ends and Relations to him unknown, m 7 33, Kc. ne 4 Fuat it is partly upon his Ignorance of future events in of and partly upon the Hope of a future ftate, that all his Happineſs in the preſent depends, 77, &c. d XX11 EUN EESNTS, hr pride of aiming at more knowledge, and pretend- ing to more Perfection, the cauſe of Man's error and miſery. The impiety of putting himſelf in the place of God, and judging of the fitneſs or unfit- neſs, perfection or iinperfection, juſtice or injuſtice ' bf his diſpenſations, 9 113, &c. The abſurdity of conceiting himſelf the final cauſe of the creation, or expecting that perfection in the moral world, which is not in the natural, y 131, &c. The unreaſonableneſs of his complaints -again/? Pro- vidence, while, on the one hand, he demands the Pexfections of the Angels, and, on the other, the bo- dily qualifications of the Brutes ; though, to poſſeſs any of the ſenſitive faculties in a higher degree, would render him miſerable, V 173, &c. That throug ghout the whole viſible world, an uniyer ſal order and gradation in the ſenſual and mental fa- culties is obſerved, which cauſes a ſubordination of creature to creature, and of all creatures to Man. The gradations of ſenſe, inſtin ct, thought, reflec- tion, reaſon ; that Reaſon alone countervatls all the other faculties, * 5 207. How much farther this order and W if Tiving creatures may extend, above and below us ; were any part of which broken, not that" part only, but the cwhole connected creation muſt be teftroyed, y 233: — Y ©» * 6 a - þ 4 * 21 1 a A » & % 89 £ dr . "4 | _— — 4 4 6 - - + Wo * wm x 4 b 4 * * - Th Av a7” » of Fn, R * CAFE 0 _ 5 : of © 07 d * - PR_Y _ þ — k p "'P A wa = a+ g e a — ” 5 N — CONTENTS. xiii The extravagance, madneſs, and pride of fuch a de- fre, 7 The conſequence of all, the abſolute ſubmiſſion due to Providence, both as to our preſent and future ſtate, y 281, &c. to the end. EPIS T1 Of the Nature and State of Man, with reſpect to Himſelf, as an Individual. — E 22 of Man not to pry into God, but to fludy himſelf. His Middle Nature; His Powers and Frailties, y I, &c. The Limits of his Capacity, y 19, &c, The two Principles of Man, Self-love and Reaſon, bo:h neceſſary, * 53, &c. Self-love the ſtronger, and ** 67, &c. Their end the ſame, y 81, &c. The Pass los, and their uſe, y 93, &c. The predominant Paſſion, and its force, y 131, to 160. Its Neceſſity, in direfting Men to different purpoſes, y 165, &c. Its providential Uſe, in fixing our Principle, and aſ- d 2 xxiv CONTENTS. certaining our Viriue, 7 175. Virtue and Vice joined in our mixed Nature; the li- mits near, yet the things ſeparate and evident : What is the office of Reaſon, » 195, &c. How odious Vice in itſelf, and how we deceive our- ſelves into it, » 217, &c. That, however, the Ends of Providence and general Good are anſwered in our Paſſions and Imperfections, 7 219, &c. Hero uſefully theſe are diſtributed to all Orders of Men, y 241, &c. How uſeful they are to Society, * 249, &c. And to the Individuals, y 263. In every ſtate, and every age of life, Y 271, &c. l & EPIST LE ME Of the Nature and State of Man with re- pelt to Society. T HE whole Univerſe one ſyſtem of Society, | 7, &c. Nothing made wholly for itſelf, vdr yet wholly for another, " IF 2. The happineſs of Animals mutual, » 49. Reaſon or Inſtinct operate alike to the good of each Individual, V7. Reaſon or Inſtinct operate alſo to Society, in all ani- mals. y 109, Hou far Society carried by Inſtiuct, 5115. How much farther by Reaſon, V 131. Of that which is called the State of Nature, 147. Reaſon inſtructed by Inſtinct in the invention of Arts, 170. And in the Forms of Society, 7179. Origin of Political Societies, * 199. Origin of Monarchy, .<: | 3 210. Patriarchal government, 1216. xvii CONTENTS. Origin of true Religion and Government, from the =» fame principle of Le. 5 235, &c. Origin of Superſtition and Tyranny, from the ſame Principle of Fear, y 237, &c. 7 The Influence of Self-love operating to the ſocial and public Good, y 269. Reftoration of true Religion and Government on their firſt principle, | 7 283, 6 7 Mixt Government, | y 289. Various Forms of each, and the true end of all, V 303, &c. Fl * " "i A L 0 9 þ F 1 ov \ i +=: + - F 44 . = $4 ty „ Y * > . 15 1 9 ö 15 > - 5 * AT * * - -. =EPISELZL . bd the Nature and State of Man with reſpet 10 Happineſs. ALS E Notions of Happineſs, Philoſophical and Popular, anſwered, » 19 to 26. It is the End of all Men, and attainable by all, y 29. God intends Happineſs to be equal; and to be ſo, it muſt Be ſocial, ſince all particular Happineſs depends on general, and ſince he governs by general, not parti- cular Laws, 'F 35- As it is neceſſary for Order, and the peace and wel- fare of Society, that external goods ſhould be un” 8 — as * * " - 2 * 1 5 * » « NE TIS — WEE. HE FS Por Ln. ah; * mä D p TC TD N | CONTENTS. xxvii equal, Happineſs is not made to conſiſt in theſe, 49. But, nottbithſtanding that inequality, the balance of Happineſs among Mankind it kept even by Provi- dence, by the two Paſſions of Hope and Fear, | 3 67. I bat the Happineſs of Individuals is, as far as ts conſiſtent with the conſtitution of this world; and that the good Man has here the Advantage, Y 77. The error of imputing to Virtue what are only the ca- lamities of Nature, or of Fortune, 93 The folly of expecting that Gad ſhould alter his general Laws in favour of particulars, 5 121. That we are not judges who are good; but that who- ever they are, they muſt be happieſt, * 133, &c. That external goods are not the preper rewards, but often incenſi/tent with, or deſtructive of Virtue, y 160. That even theſe can make no Man happy without 2 tue : Inflanced in Riches, » 185, Honours, 1 193. Nobility, 7 205. Greatneſs, 1217. Fame, 7 237. Superior Talents, 5259. With pictures of human Injelicity in Men poſſe/t of :hem all, 9 277, &c. That Virtue only conſtitutes a Happineſs, whoſe al- — — —— — - —ä —-—¼ —— — —— — < — 2 0 ——— gap — — — . — —_— 2 22 b - © — — WIA — — — — e = = —— - - l — — — 2 — — "— — —— _ < * ** — — — —— — —' — — —— N — 5 — — —— —— w_ r ” — — . -. — xxvii CONTENTS. Jed is univerſal, and whoſe proſpect eternal, y 329, | &c, That the perfection of Virtue and Happineſs conſiſts in a conformity to the ORDER of PRoOvIDENCE bere, and a Reſignation to it here and hereafter, 327, &c, s 11 ICE ter, &c. s..... 4. A N ESSAY on MAN. In Four EPISTLES. 1 T O 1 ST, John L. BoL1NGBROKE,. =; EpISTLE l. Of the Nature and State of Man, with reſpect to the UNIVERSE, AS E, my Sr. Jon] leave all meaner things To low ambition, and the pride of Kings. Let us (ſince Life can little more ſupply Than juſt to look about us and to die) Expatiate free o'er all this ſcene of Man; 5 A mighty maze! but not without a plan; Eptsr, I. Tax Opening of this Man, or a Philoſophical Enquiry poem is taken up in giving an ac- into his Nature and End, his Paſ- er of the Subject, which, agrera - ſions and Purſuits. He then tells us ly to the title, is an Essar cn with what deſign he wrote, viz. 2 EssAayY ON MAN. EP. L A Wild, where weeds and flow'rs promiſcuous ſhoot, Or Garden, tempting with forbidden fruit, Together let us beat this ample field, Try what the open, what the covert yield; 19 The latent tracts, the giddy heights explore Of all who blindly creep, or ſightleſs ſoar ; Eye Nature's walks, ſhoot Folly as it flies, And catch the Manners living as they riſe; Laugh where we muſt, be candid where we can; 15 But vindicate the ways of God to Man. To windicate the ways of Cod to n, The 'Men he writes againſt, he frequently inform us, are ſuch as weigh their opinion againſt Provi- dence (V 114.) ſuch as cry, if Man's unhappy, God's unjuſt ( 118.) or ſuch as fall into the notion, that Vice and Virtue there is none at all (Ep. ii. Þ 212.) This occaſions the Poct to divide his vindication of the ways of Gcd, into two parts. In the firſt of which he gives dire& anſwers to thoſe object ions, which libertine Men, on a view of the diſcrders ariſing from the perverſity of the human will, have intended againſt Providence; and in the ſecond, he obviates all thoſe objections, by a true delineation of human Nature, or a general, but exact map of Man. The firſt epiſtle is employed in the management of the firſt part of this diſpute; and the three following in the manage- ment of the ſecond. So that this whole book conſtitutes a complete Eſſay on Man, written for the beſt purpoſe, te w:ndicate the aways of Ged. Vrs. 7, 8. A Wild—Or Gar- den.] The Wild relates to the hu- man Paſſions, productive (as he explains it in the ſecond epiſtl e both of good and evil. The Gar- den, to human Reaſon, ſo often tempting us to tranſgreſs the bounds God has ſet to it, and wander in fruitleſs enquires. VER. 12. Of all who Blind creep, &c.] Thoſe who only fol- low the blind guidance of their Paſ- ſons; or thoſe who leave behind them all ſenſe and reaſon, in their high fiights through the regions of Metaphyſics. Both which follics are expoſed in the fourth epiſtle, where the popular and philoſophi- cal errcrs concerning Happineſs are ipoken of. The figure here is taken from animal life. Ven. 15. Laugh where wemuſl, &c. ] Intimating that human Fol- lies are ſo ſtrangely abſurd and ri- diculous, that it is not in the power ot the moſt compaſſionate, on ſome occaſions, to reſtrain their Mirth: And that human Crimes are ſo flagitious, that the moſt candid have ſeldom an opportunity, on this iubject, to excreiſe their Virtue · , TT nf P41 „. rad 1 S a a a a = ©» Ep. I. Es SAV on Man, 3 Say firſt, of God above, or Man below, What can we reaſon, but from what we know ? Of Man what ſee we, but his ſtation here, From which to reaſon, or to which refer ? 29 Thro' worlds unnumber'd tho' the God be known, *Tis ours to trace him only in our own. He, who thro? vaſt immenſity can pierce, See worlds on worlds compoſe one univerſe, Obſerve how ſyſtem into ſyſtem runs, 25 What other planets circle other ſuns, | What vary'd Being peoples ev'ry ſtar, May tell why Hear n has made us as we are. But of this frame, the bearings, and the ties, | The ſtrong connections, nice dependencies, 30 Gradations juſt, has thy pervading ſoul Look'd thro'? or can a part contain the whole? Is the great chain, that draws all to agree, And drawn ſupports, upheld by God, or thee ? Preſumptuous Man! the reaſon wouldft thou find, 35 Why form'd fo weak, ſo little, and ſo blind! Firſt, if thou canſt, the harder reaſon gueſs, Why form'd no weaker, blinder, and no leſs ! Aſk of thy mother earth, why oaks are made Taller or ſtronger than the weeds they ſhade ? 40 VII. 21. Tro worlds unnum- Schol. gen. fub fin. . od d, &c.] * Hunc cognoſcimus ſo- Vxx. 23 to 42. ] A ſublime de- | a lummodo per Proprietates ſuas ſcription of the Omniſcience of et Attributa, et per apientiſſimas God, and the miſerable Blindneſs + © et optimas rerum ſtructuras et and Preſumption of Man. cauſas finales. Ne toteni Princ. A 2 4 Ess AV ON Man, Ep. I. Or aſk of yonder argent fields above, Why Jove's Satellites are leſs than JovE? Of Syſtems poſlible, if 'tis confeſt That Wiſdom infinite muſt form the beſt, £ Where all muſt full or not coherent be, 45 And all that riſes, riſe in due degree; Then, in the ſcale of reas' ning life, tis plain, There muſt be, ſomewhere, ſuch a rank as Man; And all the queſtion (wrangle e' er fo long) Is only this, if God has plac'd him wrong ? Reſpecting Man, whatever wrong we call, May, mutt be right, as relative to all, In human Works, tho” labour'd on with pain, A thouſand movements ſcarce one purpoſe gain; In God's, one ſingle can its end produce; Vet ſerves to ſecond too ſome other uſe. So Man, who here ſeems principal alone, Perhaps acts ſecond to ſome ſphere unknown, . Touches ſome wheel, or verges to ſome goal; "Tis but a part we ſee and not a whole. 60 When the proud Steed ſhall know why Man reſtrains His fiery courſe, or drives him o'er the plains ; When the dull Ox, why now he breaks the clod, Is now a victim, and now Ægypt's God: VVVꝝꝓ !. 35 to:42+] In theſe lines leſſneſs of their enquiries into the the poet has joined the higheſt arcana cf the Godhead. beauty of argumentation to the Ver. 64. The dull Ox ſublimity of thought; where the /Zgypr's Cod.] Called Abt fimilar inſtances, propoſed for his God, becauſe the Apis was wor- adverſaries examination, ſhew as ſhipped univerſally over the whole well the abſurdity of their com- land, plaints againſt Order, as the fiuit- | *» *> 8 od ty thy rs on =_ ] — 0 1 * o -4 * : ä 4 o * L * i K ty” 45 4 1 1 hs "XE? 1 IS ' 2 Fo 4 £3: N A, wy" "TY * 3 7 Ep. I. EsSsAVYV ON Man. 5 Then ſhall Man's pride and dulneſs comprehend 65 His actions', paſſions', being's, uſe and end; Why doing, ſuff ring, check'd, impell'd; and why This hour a ſlave, the next a deity. Then ſay not Man's imperfect, Heav'n in fault; Say rather, Man's as perfect as he ought; 70 His Knowledge meaſur'd to his ſtate and place, His Time a moment, and a point his Space. If to be perfect in a certain ſphere, What matter ſoon or late, or here or there ? The bleſt to day is as completely ſo, 75 As who began a thouſand years ago. Heav'n from all creatures hides the book of fate, All but the page preſcrib'd, their preſent ſtate, From brutes what men, from men what ſpirits know; Or who could ſuffer being here below ? 80 The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to- day, Had he thy Reaſon, would he ſkip and play? Pleas'd to the laſt, he crops the low'ry food, And licks the hand juſt rais'd to ſhed his blood. Oh blindneſs to the future! kindly giv'n, 85 That each may fill the circle mark'd hy Heav'n. Who ſees with equal eye, as God of all, A hero periſh, or a ſparrow fall, Atoms or ſyſtems into ruin hurl'd, And now a bubble burſt, and now a world. 90 Hope humbly then; with trembling pinions ſoar; Wait the great teacher Death, and God adore | VII, 87. Mobo ſees with equal cye, &c. ] Marr. x. 294 6 EssAyY own Man, What future bliſs, he gives not thee to know, But gives that Hope to be thy blefling now. Hope ſprings eternal in the human breaſt : Man never Is, but always To be bleſt : The Soul, uneaſy, and confin'd, from home, Reſts and expatiates in a life to come. Lo! the poor Indian, whoſe untutor'd mind Sees God in clouds, or hears him in the wind; His ſoul proud Science never taught to ſtray Far as the ſolar walk, or milky way; Yet ſimple Nature to his hope has giv'n, Behind the cloud-topt hill, an humbler heav'n ; Some ſafer world in depth of woods embrac'd, Some happier iſland in the watry waſte, Where ſlaves once more their native land behold, No fiends torment, no Chriſtians thirſt for gold! To Be, contents his natural defire, He aſks no Angel's wing, no Seraph's fire ; But thinks, admitted to that equal ſky, His faithful dog ſhall bear him company. . Go, wiſer thou] and in thy ſcale of ſenſe Weigh thy Opinion againſt Providence; Vern. 97. Uneaſy, and confin'd, from beme.] By the words from home (an expreſſion taken from the Platonic philoſophy) it was the Poet's purpoſe to teach that the preſent life is only a ſtate of pro- bation for another more ſuitable to the «ſence of the ſoul, and the free exzrciſe of its qualities. VxR. 99+ Lo! the poor Indian, Sc.] That this Indian was intro- duced not te ſet his ideas of a ſu- Ep. J. 100 105 110 ture State in competition with thoſe of more civilized people, but only to ſhew that as abſurd as they Wl were, they were yet more humane than thoſe Profeſſors of popilh Theology, who exclude all from 3 poſſibility of ſalvation, which agree not with them in every mode 0 faith defined by the Churcie That he was introduced, I fd, on- ly for this purpoſe, fee * 177. & ſeq. of the 4th Ep» | Ep. I. Ess Ar on Man. 7 Call Imperfection what thou fancy'ſt ſuch, 115 Say, here he gives too little, there too much; Deſtroy all creatures for thy ſport or guſt, Vet cry, If Man's unhappy, God's unjuſt; If Man alone ingroſs not Heav'n's high care, Alone made perfect here, immortal there: 120 Snatch from his hand the balance and the rod, Re- judge his juſtice, be the Gop of Gop! In Pride, in reas' ning Pride, our error lies; All quit their ſphere, and ruſh into the ſkies, Pride till is aiming at the bleſt abodes, 125 Men would be Angels, Angels would be Gods. Afpiring to be Gods, if Angels fell, Aſpiring to be Angels, Men rebel ; And who but wiſhes to invert the laws Of Ox px, fins againſt t Eternal cauſe. 139 Aſk for what end the heav*nly bodies ſhine, Earth for whoſe uſe? Pride anſwers, << *Tis for mine: For me kind Nature wakes her genial power, & © Suckles each herb, and ſpreads out ev'ry flow'r ; & Annual for me, the grape, the roſe renew 135 The juice nectareous, and the balmy dew ; &« For me, the mine a thouſand treaſures brings; :, b Bi „ For me, health guſhes from a thouſand ſprings ; _ << cas roll to waft me, ſuns to light me riſe ; 95 100 105 6 110 1 en « My footſtool earth, my canopy the ſki zs.“ 149 — But errs not Nature from this gracious end, 1 From burning ſuns when livid deaths deſcend, : os: When earthquakes ſwallow, or when tempeſts ſweep Towns to one grave, whole nations to the deep ? A 8 Es s ay on Man, Ep. I. & No ('tis reply'd) the firſt Almighty Cauſe 145 « Acts not by partial, but by gen'ral laws ; « Th'exceptions few, ſome change, ſince all began, & And what created perfect? Why then Man ? If the great end be human Happineſs, Then Nature deviates; and can Man do leſs? 150 As much that end a conſtant courſe requires Of ſhow'rs and ſun-ſhine, as of Man's deſires ; As much eternal ſprings and cloudleſs ſkies, As Men for ever temp'rate, calm, and wiſe. If plagues or earthquakes break not Heav'n's deſign, 155 Why then a Borgia, or a Catiline ? Who knows but he, whoſe hand the lightning forms, Who heaves old Ocean, and who wings the ſtorms, Pours fierce ambition in a Cæſar's mind, Or turns young Ammon looſe to ſcourge mankind ? 160 From pride, from pride, our very reas'ning ſprings ; Account for moral, as for nat'ral things: Why charge we Heav'n in thoſe, in theſe acquit? In both, to reaſon right is to ſubmit. Better for Us, perhaps, it might appear, 165 Were there all harmony, all virtue here; That never air or ocean felt the wind ; That never paſſion diſcompos'd the mind : Vr. 150. Then Nature devi- “ irregularities excepted, which ates.] ©* While comets move in“ may have riſen from the mutual very eccentric orbs, in all man- © actions of comets and planets « ner of poſitions, blind Fate could “ upon one another, which will « never make all the planets move be apt to increaſe till thisſyſtem one and the fame way in orbs “ wants reformation.”* Stir Iſas *« concentric; ſome inconliderable Meauton” Optics. Queſt, ult. Er. I. ESss AN ov Man. 9 But At ſübſiſts by elemental firife ; And Paſſions are the elements of life. 170 The gen'ral Ox DER, ſince the whole began, Is kept in Nature, and is kept in Man. | What would this Man? Now upward will he ſoar, And little leſs than Angel, would be more; Now looking downwards, juſt as griev'd appears 175 To want the ſtrength of bulls, the fur of bears. Made for his uſe all creatures if he call, Say what their uſe, had he the pow'rs of all ? Nature to theſe, without profuſion kind, & The proper organs, proper pow'rs aflign'd ; 180 Fach ſeeming want compenſated of courſe, Here with degrees of ſwitfneſs, there of force ; All in exact proportion to the tate ; 1 Nothing to add, and nothing to abate. | Fach beaſt, each inſect, happy in its own; 188 *Z Is Heav'n unkind to Man, and Man alone? = Shall he alone whom rational we call, Be pleas'd with-nothing, if not bleſs'd with all? 165 The bliſs of Man (could Pride that bleſſing find) 1s not to act or think beyond mankind; 190 No pow'rs of body or of ſoul to ſhare, But what his nature and his ſtate can bear. Why has not Man a microſcopic eye ? For this plain reaſon, Man is not a F ly. will Vrx. 182. Here with degrees of formed for flrength, their fwiſt- rftem ſwoiftneſs, &c. ] It is a certain axi- neſs is leſſened; or as they are om in the anatomy of creatures, formed for ſwiftneſs, their ſtrength that in proportion as they are is abated. | 10 EssAY ON Man, Ep. I. Say what the uſe, were finer optics giv'n, 194 T' inſpect a mite, not comprehend the heav'n ? Or touch, if, tremblingly alive all o'er, To ſmart and agonize at ev'ry pore ? Or, quick eMuvia darting thro' the brain, Die of a roſe in aromatic pain ? 200 If Nature thunder'din his op'ning ears, And ſtun'd him with/the muſic of the ſpheres, How would he wiſh that Heav'n had left him ftill The whiſp'ring Zephyr, and the purling rill? Who finds not Providence all good and wiſe, 203 Alike in what it gives, and what denies ? Far as Creation's ample range extends, The ſcale of Senſual, Mental pow'rs aſcends : Mark how it mounts, to Man's imperial race, From the green myriads in the peopled graſs: 210 What modes of Sight betwixt each wide extreme, The mole's dim curtain, and the linx's beam: Of Smell, the headlong lioneſs between, And hound ſagacious on the tainted green: Of Hearing, from the life that fills the lood, 215 To that which warbles thro* the vernal wood: The ſpider's Touch how exquiſitely fine! Feels at each thread, and lives along the line : VII. 213. The beadling lioneſs. ] purſuing them by the ear, and not The manner of the Lions hunting by the noſtril. It is probable the their prey in the deſerts of Africa is ſtory of the jackal's hunting for this: At their firſt going out in the lion, was occaſioned by obſer- the night-time they ſet up a loud vation of this defect of ſcent in that roar, and then liſten to the noiſe terrible animal. made by the beaſts in thir flight, 215 d not le the F4 for obſer- n that Ep, I. EsSsA LV ON Man, 11 In the nice bee, what ſenſe ſo ſubtly true From pois' nous herbs extracts the healing dew: 220 How Inſtinct varies in the grov' ling ſwine, Compar'd, half-reas'ning elephant, with thine. *T wixt that and Reaſon, what a nice barrier; For ever ſep'rate, yet for ever near Remembrance and Reflection how ally'd 225 What thin partitions Senſe from Thought divide : And Middle natures how they long to join, Yet never paſs th'inſuperable line ! Without this juſt gradation, could they be Subjected theſe to thoſe, or all to thee ; 230 The pow'rs of all ſubdu'd by thee alone, Is not thy Reaſon all theſe pow'rs in one? See thro? the air, this ocean, and this earth, All matter quick, and burſting into birth. Above how high progreſſive life may go! 235 Around, how wide! how deep extend below ! Vaſt chain of being, which from God began, Natures æthereal, human, angel, man, Beaſt, bird, fiſh, inſet ! what no eye can ſee, No glaſs can reach ! from infinite to thee, 240 VII. 224+ For ever ſep' rate, from thence concluded that every &c.] Near, by the ſimilitude of imagination or opinion of every man the operations; ſeparate, by the was true: lacs qarracia lcd immenſe difference in the nature of ayJy;, But the poet determines the powers. more philoſophically, that they are VII. 226. What thin partitions, really and effentiallydifferent, how &c.) So thin, that the Atheiſtic thin foever the Partition is by Philoſophers, as Protagoras, held which they are divided, that chought wat only ſenſe ; and B 2 12 From thee to Nothing — On ſuperior pow'rs Were we to preſs, inferior might on ours : Or in the full creation leave a void, Where, one ſtep broken, the great ſcale's deſtroy'd: From Nature's chain whatever link you ſtrike, 245 Tenth or ten thouſandth, breaks the chain alike. And if each ſyſtem in gradation roll, Alike eſſential to th'amazing whole; The leaſt confuſion but in one, not all That ſyſtem only, but the whole muſt fall. 250 Let Earth unbalanc'd from her orbit fly, Planets and Suns run lawleſs thro” the ſky, Let ruling Angels from their ſpheres be hurl'd, Being on being wreck'd, and world on world, Heav'n's whole foundations to their centre nod, 2 55 And Natyre tremble to the throne of God : All this dread ORDER break — for whom? for thee ? Vile worm! — oh Madneſs, Pride | Impiety ! What if the foot, ordain'd the duſt to tread, Or hand to toil, aſpir'd to be the head; 260 What if-the head, the eye, or ear repin'd To ſerve mere engines to the ruling Mind! VI. 243- Or in the full crea» lane'd.] That is, being no longer fron leave avoid.) This is only an kept within its orbit by the different Illuftrating allufion to the Arifto- directions of its progreſſive and at- telian doctrines of plenum and yacu- tractive motions, which, like equal pm; the full and void here meant, weights in a balance, keep it in relating not to Matter, but toLife, an equilibre. VII. 247. And if each ſyſtemin Viz 253+ Let ruling Angel, gradation roll.) Alluding to the &c.] The poet, throughout tha motion of the planetary bodies of poem, with great art uſes an ad- esch ſyſtem, and to the figures deſ= vantage, which his employing 2 cribed by that motion. Platonic principle for the founda- VII. 251, Lee Earth unba- tion of his Eſſay had afforded EssAY on Man. Ep. I, 5 50 PPP — N — a — — . . - \ + — 2 7 1 . — — — - <1} On Er. IJ. Ess Ax on Man, 13 Juſt as abſurd for any part to claim To be another, in this gen'ral frame: _ as abſurd, to mourn the taſks or pains, 26g great directing MinD of ALL ordains. All are but parts of one ſtupendous whole, Whoſe body Nature is, and God the foul ; That chang'd thro? all, and yet in all the fame, Great in the Earth, as in th'zthereal frame, 270 Warms in the ſun refreſhes in the breeze, Glows in the ſtars and bloſſoms in the trees, Lives thro? all life, extends thro' all extent, Spreads undivided, operates unſpent, Breaths in our Soul, informs our mortal part, 274 As full, as perfect, in a hair as heart; | As full, as perfect, in vile Man that mourns, As the rapt Seraph that adores and burns; To him no high, no low, no great, no ſmall; He fills, he bounds, connects, and equals all. 280 Ceaſe then, nor ORDER Imperfection name: | Our proper Bliſs depends on what we blame. Know thy own Point: This kind, this due degree Of blindneſs, weakneſs, Heav'n beſtows on thee. Submit. —In this, or any other ſphere, 285 Secure to be as bleſt as thou canſt bear: bim; and that is, the re ſſi 60 us ob dominium; Deus himſelf (as here) in Platraic — 46 — dominio, providentia, tions; which, luckily for his pur- * et cauſis finalibus, nihil aliud eſt — zre highly poetical, at the ** quam FatuM et Narune. eh,ve time that they add a grace to Nezotoni Prise. Scbol- ger. Jub fit» Va ormity of his reaſoning, Ver. 278. Seraph that adores 266. The great diretting and burns. Alluding to the name Mind, &c.] « Veneramur autem Seraphim, fignifying ourners, 4 14 Ess Ay on Ma. Ep. I. Safe in the Hand of one diſpoſing Pow'r, Or in the natal, or the mortal Hour. All Nature is but Art, unknown to thee ; All Chance, Direction, which thou canſt not ſee ; 290 All Diſcord, Harmony, not underſtood ; All partial Evil, univerſal Good : That the reader may ſee in one of phyſical Evil in this particular view the Exactneſs of the Me- ſyſtem. — Secondly, its uſe in this thod as well as Force of the Ar- ſyſtem, where it is turned, provi- gument, I ſhall here draw up a dentially, from its natural bias, to ſhort ſynopſis of this Epiſtle. The promote Virtue. Then goes on to poet begins by telling us his ſub- vindicate Providence from the im- jet is an Eſſay on Man: That putation of certain ſuppoſed natu- his end of writing is to vindicate ral Evils; as he had before juſti- Providence: That he intends to fied it for the permiſſion of real derive his arguments, from the moral Evil, in ſhewing that, viſible things of God ſeen in this though the atheiſt's complaint a- ſtem : Lays down this propoſition, gainſt providence be on pretence of as the foundation of his theſis, real moral Evil, yet the true cauſe That of all poſſible ſyſtems infinite is his impatience under imaginary Wiſdom bas form'd the beft : draws natural Evil; the iſſue of a de- from thence two conſequences, praved appetite for fantaſtical ad- ” 1. That there muſt needs be - vantages, which, if obtained, 7 obere ſuch a Creature as an; wouid be uſeleſs or hurtful to Man, 2. That the moral Evil which be is and deforming and deſtructive to | autbor of, is productive of the Cod the Univerſe, as breaking into of tbe Whole, This is his general that Order by which it is ſupport- v theſis; from whence he forms ed. He dcſcribes that Order, this concluſion, Thar Man fbruld Harmony, and cloſe Connexion of reſt ſubmiſſive and content, and the Parts; and, by ſhewing the make the topes of Futurity bis Cam- intimate preſence of God to his fort: but not ſuffer this to be the whole creation, gives a reaſon eccaſion of PRIDE, which is the for an Univerſe ſo amazingly beau- eauſc of all his impious com- tiful and perfect. From all this he plaints, deduces his general Concluhon, He proceeds to confirm his the- That Nature being neither a blind fis, —— Previouſly endeavours to chain of Cauſes and Effetts, nor abate our wonder at the phæno- yer the fortuitous reſult of wandering Wil menon or moral Evil ; ſhews, firſt, atoms, but the wonderful Art and itt aſe to the Perfection of the Uni- Direction Fl an all-wiſe, all-good, were, by Analogy, from the uſe and free Being: Whatever 18, is wa p 2 hk b | * a Prog CCC Er. IJ. EssAVYT on Man. 15 = And, ſpite of Pride, in erring Reaſon's ſpite, $ One Truth is clear, Whatever 1s, is RIGHT. 7 'T MIGHT, with regard to the Diſp;- Complaints againſt Providence are 25 tian of Ged, and its ultimate len- at an end. 17 dency, which once granted, all 3 EPISTLE ( 26 ] EPISILE IL Of the Nature and State of Man as an Individual. NOW then thyſelf, preſume not God to ſcan; The proper ſtudy of Mankind is Man, Plac'd on this Iſthmus of a middle ſtate, A being darkly wiſe, and rudely great : With too much knowledge for the Sceptic fide, 3 With too much weakneſs for the Stoic's pride, He hangs between; in doubt to act, or reſt, In doubt to deem himſelf a God, or Beaſt; In doubt his Mind or Body to prefer, Born but to die, and reas'ning but to err ; 10 Alike in ignorance, his reafon ſuch, Whether he thinks too little, or too much : Erisr. II. The poet having ſhewn, in the firſt epiſtle, that the Ways of God are too high for our comprehenſion, rightly draws this concluſion, and methodically makes it the ſubjet of his Intro- duction to the ſecond, which treats of the Nature of Man. VER. 10. Born but to die, &c.] The author's meaning is, that, as we are born to die, and yet enjoy ſome ſmall portion of life; 6, though we reaſon to err, yet ve comprehend ſome few truths. This is the weak ſtate of Reaſon, in which Error mixes itſelf with all its true conclufions Concerning Man's Nature. VeR. 11. Alike in ignorant, &c.] The proper ſphere of his Reaſon is ſo narrow, and the exer* ciſe of it ſo nice ; that the tos 4 | g : = Ep. II. Ess Av on Man. 17 Chaos of Thought and Paſſion, all confus'd ; Stili by himſelf abus'd or diſabus d; Created half to riſe, and half to fall; 15 Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all; Sole judge of Truth, in endleſs Error hurl'd: The glory, jeſt, and riddle of the World! Go, wondrous creature! mount where Science guides, Go, meaſure earth, weigh air, and ſtate the tides; 20 Inſtruct the planets in what orbs to run, Correct old Time, and regulate the Sun; Go, ſoar with Plato to th'empyreal ſphere, To the firſt good, firſt perfect, and firſt fair; Or tread the mazy round his follow'rs trod, 25 And quitting ſenſe call imitating God; As Eaſtern prieſts in giddy circles run, And turn their heads to imitate the Sun. Go, teach Eternal Wiſdom how to rule — Then drop into thyſelf, and be a fool ! 30, immoderate uf: of it is attended with the fame ignorance that pro- ceeds from the not uſing it at all. Yet, tho' in both theſe caſes, he is «buſed by himſelf, he has it ſtill in his own power to diſabuſe himſelf, in making his Paſſions ſubſervient to the mrans, and regulating his Reaſon by the end of Life. Verk. 20. Go, meaſure earth, &c.] Alluding to the noble and uſeful project of the modern Ma- thematicians, to meaſure a de- gree at the equator and the polar circle, in order to determine the true figure of the earth; of great importance to aſtronomy and navi- gation, Ver. 22. Correct old Time | This alludes to Sir Iſaac Newton's, Grecian Chronology, which he at- tempted to reform on thoſe two ſublime conceptions; the drfference. between the reigns of Rings, and the. generations of men ; and the poſition. of the colours of the equinoxes and ſelſtices at the time of the Argonau- tic expedition, V+R. 29, 30» Go, teach Eternal Wiſdom, &c.] "Theſe two lines. are a concluſion from all that had been fad from y 19, to this effect: © Go now, vain Man, elated with te thy acquirements in real ſcience, “ and imaginary intimacy with God 2 go, and run into all the rr 9 = 2 «& extravagancies I have exploded << in the firſt Epiſtle, where thou cc pretendeſt to teach Providence © how to govern; then drop into te the obſcurities of thy own na- ture, and thereby manifcſt thy © ignorance and folly.” VII. 31. Superior beings, &c.] In theſe lines he ſpeaks to this effect: BgBut to make you fully ſenſible of << the difficulty of this ſtudy, I © ſhall inſtance in the great New- ton himſelf; whom when ſupe- <* rior beings, not long ſince, ſaw “capable of unfolding the whole % law of Nature, they were in 4% doubt whether the owner of 4 ſuch prodigious ſcience ſhould * not be reckoned of their or- der; juſt as men, when they << ſee the ſurprifing marks of Rea- « fon in an Ape, are almoſt 18 EssAY ON MAN. Superior beings, when of late they ſaw A mortal Man unfold all Nature's law, Admir'd ſuch wiſdom in an earthly ſhape, And ſhew'd a NEWTON as we ſhew an Ape. Could he, whoſe. rules the rapid Comet bind, gg Deſcribe or fix onè movement of his Mind? Who ſaw its fires here riſe, and there deſcend, Explain his own beginning, or his end ? Alas, what wonder! Man's ſuperior part Uncheck'd may rife, and climb from art to art: 40 But when his own great work is but begun, What Reaſon weaves, by Paſſion is undone. Trace Science then, with Modeſty thy guide; Firſt ſtrip off all her equipage of Pride, Lo Ee, II, "_—= - * ny > % 8 k 4 = ”. — » 1 r eee n : ; * tempted to rank him with their % own kind. And yet this won- 4% drous Man could go no farther & in the knowledge of himſelf * than the generality of his ſpe- * a VER. 37. Who ſaw its fires bere riſe, bc. Sir Iſaac Newton, in calculating the velocity of a Co- met's Motion, and the courſe it deſcribes, when it becomes viſible in its deſcent to, and aſcent from the Sun, conjectured, with the higheſt appearance of truth, that Comets revolve perpetually round the Sun, in ellipſes vaſtly eccen- : trical, and very nearly approach- 3 ing to parabolas. In which be was greatly confirmed, in obſerving \nn between two Comets a coincidence in their perihelions, and a pertect agreement in their velocities. A II. VI WW. Do © TE Bren l : + SEES neee & their won- rther mſelf ſpe· 5 bere n, in Co- re it iſible from 1 the that round ccen* oach⸗ 5 h he ©| og tving dene crtet Ep. II. Essay on Man, 19 Deduct what is but Vanity, or Dreſs, 45 Or Learning's Luxury, or Idleneſs; Or tricks to ſhew the ſtretch of human brain, Mere curious pleaſure, or ingenious pain : Expunge the whole, or lop th*excreſcent parts Of all, our Vices have created Arts : 50 Then ſee how little the remaining ſum, Which ſerv'd the paſt, and muſt the times to come! Two Principles in human nature reign Self-love, to urge, and Reaſon, to reſtrain ; Nor this a good, nor that a bad we call, 55 Each works its end, to move or govern all: And to their proper operation ſtill, Aſcribe all Good; to their improper, Ill. Self-love, the ſpring of motion, acts the ſoul ; Reaſon's comparing balance rules the whole. 60 Man, but for that, no action could attend, And, but for this, were active to no end; Fix'd like a plant on his peculiar ſpot, To draw nutrition, propagate, and rot; Or, meteor-like, flame lawleſs thro” the void, 65 Deſtroying others, by himſelf deſtroy'd. Moſt ſtrength the Moving principle requires; Active its taſk, it prompts, impels, inſpires, Sedate and quiet the Comparing lies, Form'd but to check, delib'rate, and adviſe. 70 Self. love ſtill ſtronger, as its object's nigh z Reaſon's at diſtance, and in proſpect lie: That ſees immediate good by preſent ſenſe; Reaſon, the future and the conſequence. C 2 Lay - STR — 4 U 20 EssayY on Man, Ep. II. Thicker than arguments, temptations throng, 75 1 At beſt more watchful this, but that more ſtrong. Pe The Action of the ſtronger to ſuſpend = Reaſon ſtill uſe, to Reaſon ſtill attend: R Attention, habit and experience gains, . Each ſtrengthens Reaſon, and Self- love reſtrains. 80 H. Let ſubtle ſchoolmen teach theſe friends to fight, ; More ſtudious to divide than to unite, . And Grace and Virtue, Senſe and Reaſon ſplit, I With all the raſh dexterity of Wit: = Bu Wits, juſt like fools, at war about a Name, 83 S Ou: Have full as oft no meaning, or the ſame. Sul Self- love and Reaſon to one end aſpire, L Pain their averſion, Pleaſure their deſire: & H. But greedy That its object would devour, 8 Tl This taſte the honey, and not wound the flow'r: 90 ; 1 M. Pleaſure, or wrong or rightly underſtood, 71 Our greateſt evil, or our greateſt good. SGi Modes of Self-love the Paſſions we may call; 2 "Tis real good, or ſeeming, moves them all; a But ſince not every good we can divide, 95 The And Reaſon bids us for our own provide; * Paſſions, tho' ſelfiſn, if their means be fair, Ha Liſt under Reaſon, and deſerve her care; T a 1 hoſe, that imparted court a nobler aim, - Exalt their kind, and take ſome Virtue's name. 100 — In lazy Apathy let Stoics boaſt ry Their Virtue fix'd; *tis fix'd as in a froſt, | — o Contracted all, retiring to the breaſt ; But ſtrength of mind is Exerciſe, not Reſt ; 75 80 95 00 Ep. II. Ess Ax ON Man. 21 The riſing tempeſt puts in act the ſoul, 105 Parts it may ravage, but preſerves the whole. On life's vaſt ocean diverſely we fail, | Reaſon the card, but Paſſion is the gale ; Nor God alone in the ſtill calm we find, He mounts the ſtorm, and walks upon the wind. 110 Paſſions, like Elements, tho' born to fight, Yet, mix'd and ſoften'd, in his work unite : * Theſe 'tis enough to temper and employ ; But what compoſes Man, can Man deſtroy ? Suffice that Reaſon keep to Nature's road, 115 Subject, compound them, follow her and God. Love, Hope, and Joy, fair pleaſure's ſmiling train, Hate, Fear, and Grief, the family of pain; Theſe mix'd with art, and to due bounds confin'd, Make and maintain the balance of the mind : 120 The lights and ſhades, whoſe well accorded ſtriſe Gives all the ſtrength and colour of our life. Vers. 109. Ner Cod alone, &c.] Theſe words are only a ſimple af- firmation in the poetic dreſs of a fimilitude, to this purpoſe: ©** Good is not on ly produced by the ſub- dual of the Paſſions, but by the turbulent exerciſe of them.” A truth conveyed under the mt ſub- lime imagery that poetry could conceive or paint. For the author is here only ſhewing the providen- tial effects of the Pathons, and how, ty God's gracious diſpoſition, they are turned away from their natural biaſs, to promote the hap- pineſs of Mankind. As to the method in which they are to be treated by Man, in whom they are found, all that he contends for, in favour of them, is only this, that they ſhould nut be quite rooted up ang deſtroyed, as the Stvics, and their followers in all religions, fooliſily attempted, For the reft, he conſtantly repeats this advice: Toe action of the flronger to ſuſpend, Reaſon flilluſe, to Reaſon ſtill attend. r ACT : \ by - — n q Z attic = 4 = L - _ P —_—_—— = = — — a. 2 Pw OY * ? "a _ F _ — _ = TY — — — 2233 LENS a = p 4 _ 5 —— — — : ——_ 2 = -- - at = — _ \ = = \ 7 woe - — —e—ä66ẽ —— — rm i — ——— — — ql — —— OUNCE ð˙ w 222 ETC ˙.wYQ «⅛⁵vQujT᷑ĩ˙ “!“ , «—ꝗ«Ü§h;ᷓr— ... * p < 4 Ep. II, 22 Ess Ay ON Man, Pleaſures are ever in our hands or eyes, And when in act they ceaſe, in proſpect riſe : Preſent to graſp, and future ſtill to find, 125 The whole employ of body and of mind. All ſpread their charms, but charm not all alike ; On diff*rent ſenſes diff rent objects ſtrike; Hence diff rent Paſſions more or leſs inflame, As ſtrong or weak, the organs of the frame: 130 And hence one maſter Paſſion in the breaſt, Like Aaron's ſerpent, ſwallows up the reſt. As Man, perhaps, the moment of his breath, Receives the lurking principle of death; The young diſcaſe, that muſt ſubdue at length, 135 Growswith his growth, and ſtrengthens with his ſtrength: So, caſt and mingled with his very frame, The Mind's diſeaſe, its ruling Paſſion came Each vital humour which ſhould fecd the whole, Soon flows to this, in body and in ſoul, 140 Whatever warms the heart, or fills the head, As the mind opens, and its functions ſpread, Imagination plies her dang'rous art, And pours it all upon the peccant part. Nature its mother, Habit is its nurſe ; 145 Wit, Spirit, Faculties, but make it worſe ; Reaſon itſelf but gives it edge and pow'r; As Heav'n's bleſt beam turns vinegar more ſowr; Ve, I47» Reaſon itſelf, &c.] epiſtles, gives examples of the The poet, in ſome other of his doctrine and precepts here delivercd- . * 4 7 > py 35 40 55 Er. III. Ess Ay oN Man. 33 Nay, feafts the animal he dooms his feaſt, 65 And, *till he ends the being, makes it bleſt; Which ſees no more the ſtroke, or feels the pain, Than favour'd Man by touch etherial ſlain, The creature had his feaſt of life before; Thou too muſt periſh, when thy feaſt is o'er! 70 To each unthinking being, Heav'n a friend, Gives not the uſeleſs knowledge of its end; To Man imparts it; but with ſuch a view As, while he dreads it, makes him hope it too: The hour conceal'd, and ſo remote the fear, 75 Death ſtil] draws nearer, never ſeeming near. Great ſtanding miracle] that Heav'n aſſign'd Its only thinking thing this turn of mind. Whether with Reaſon, or with Inſtinct bleſt, Know, all enjoy that pow'r which ſuits them beſt; 80 To bliſs alike by that direction tend, And find the means proportion'd to their end. Say, where full Inſtinct is th' unerring guide, What Pope or Council can they need beſide ? Reaſon however able, cool at beſt, #3: BY Cares not for ſervice, or but ſerves when preſt, dtays 'till we call, and then not often near; But honeſt Inſtinct comes a volunteer; Sure never to o'er-ſhoot, but juſt to hit, While Kill too wide or ſhort is human Wit; go Ver. 68. Than fawour'd Man by lightning as ſacred perſons, and e,] Several of the antients, and the particular favourites of Hea- many of the Orientals ſince, ven. cſteemed thoſe who were ſtruck E * 1 ii.. n N = 2 j _ — 4 34 Essay on Man. Ep. III. Sure by quick Nature happineſs to gain, Which heavier Reaſon labours at in vain. This too ſerves always, Reaſon never long; One muſt go right, the other may go wrong. See then the acting and comparing pow'rs 95 One in their nature, which are two in ours, And Reaſon raiſe o'er Inſtinct as you can, In this *tis God direQs, in that *tis Man. Who taught the nations of the field and wood To ſhun their poiſon, and to chuſe their food? 100 Preſcient, the tides or tempeſts to withſtand, Build on the wave, or arch beneath the ſand ? Who made the ſpider parallels deſign, Sure as De-moivre, without rule or line ? Who bid the ſtork, Columbus-like, explore 105 Heav'ns not his own, and worlds unknown before? Who calls the council, ſtates the certain day, Who forms the phalanx, and who points the way ? God, in the nature of each being, founds Its proper bliſs, and ſets its proper bounds: 110 But as he fram'd a Whole, the Whole to bleſs, On mutual Wants built mutual Happineſs: So from the firſt eternal OR DER ran, And creature link'd to creature, man to man. Whate'er of life all- quick ning æther keeps, 115 Or breathes thro' air, or ſhoots beneath the deeps, VER. 104- Sureas De- meivre. 1 De-moivre, an eminent Mathe- maticlan · | * 0 1 N C E E N 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 A 1 b h \ I / 7 8 « 1 8 ) ; \ 8 II. 2 5 10 Er, III. Es SAV on Man. 35 Or pours profuſe on earth; one nature feeds The vital flame, and ſwells the genial ſeeds. Not Man alone, but all that roam the wood, Or wing the ſky, or roll along the flood, 120 Each loves itſelf, but not itſelf alone, Each ſex deſires alike, till two are one. Nor ends the pleaſure with the fierce embrace; They love themſelves, a third time, in their race. Thus beaſt and bird their common charge attend, 125 The mothers nurſe it, and the fires defend The young diſmiſs'd to wander earth or air, There ſtops the Inſtinct, and there ends the care; The link diſſolves, each ſeeks a freſh embrace, Another love ſucceds another race. 130 A longer care Man's helpleſs kind demands; That longer care contracts more laſting bands: Reflection, Reaſon, ſtill the ties improve, At once extend the int'reſt and the love; | With choice we fix, with ſympathy we burn; . 135 Each Virtue in each Paſſian takes its tun And ſtill new needs, new helps, new habits riſe, That graft benevolence on charities. Still as one brood, and as another roſe, Theſe nat' ral love maintain'd, habitual thoſe : _ 140 The laſt, ſcarce ripen'd into perfect Man, | Saw helpleſs him from whom their life began: Mem'ry and fore-caſt juſt returns engage, That pointed back to youth, this on to age While pleaſure, gratitude, and hope, combin'd, 145 Still ſpread the int'reſt, and pony the kind, h 2 36 ESSAY ON Man, Ep. III. The ſtate of Nature was the reign of God: Self- love and Social at her birth began, Union the bond of all things, and of Man. 150 Pride then was not ; nor Arts, that Pride to aid ; Man walk'd with beaſt, joint tenant of the ſhade; The ſame his table, and the ſame his bed; | No murder cloath'd him, and no murder fed. In the ſame temple, the reſounding wood, I55 All vocal beings hymn'd their equal God: The ſhrine with gore unſtain'd, with gold undreſt, Unbrib'd, unbloody, ſtood the blameleſs prieſt : Heav'n's attribute was Univerſal Care, And Man's prerogative to rule, but ſpare. 160 Ah! how unlike the man of times to come ! Of half that live the butcher and the tomb ; Who, foe to Nature, hears the gen'ral groan, Murders their ſpecies, and betrays his own. But juſt diſeaſe to luxury ſucceeds, 165 And ev'ry death it's own avenger breeds; The Fury-paſſions from that blood began, And turn'd on Man a fiercer ſavage, Man. See him from Nature riſing flow to Art! To copy Inſtinct then was Reaſon's part; 170 VII. 158. Unbrib'd, unblocdy, 266.) Tyranny became neceſſitated c.] i. e. The ſtate deſcribed, to bribe the prieſt for a favourable from y 241 to 268. was not yet ar- anſwer: rived. For then, when Superſtition ö became ſo extreme as to bribe the And play'd the Cod an engine en Gods with human ſacrifices (ſee y is foes . Nor think, inNATUuRE'sSTATE they blindly trod; 35 60 65 70 ble Ep. III. Ess Ax on Man. 37 Thus then to Man the voice of Nature ſpake Go, from the Creatures thy inſtructions take: « Learn from the birds what food the thickets yield ; Learn from the beaſts the phyſic of the field; « Thy arts of building from the bee receive; 175 « Learn of the mole to-plow, the worm to weave ; « Learn of the little Nautilus to fail, « Spread the thin oar, and catch the driving gale. Here too all forms of ſocial union find, « And hence let Reaſon, late, inſtruct Mankind: 188 « Here ſubterrancan works and cities ſee ; „There towns aerial on the waving tree. Learn each ſmall People's genius, policies, « The Ant's republic, and the realm of Bees; How thoſe in common all their wealth beſtow, 185 And Anarchy without confuſion know “And theſe for ever, tho* a Monarch reign, Their ſep'rate cells and properties maintain. „Mark what unvary'd laws preſerve each ſtate, * Laws wiſe as Nature, and as fix'd as Fate. 190 Vern. 172. Learn from the their own practice. birds, &c.] It is a common pra- Ven. 177+ Learn cf the little Qtice amongſt navigators, when Nautilus, &c.] Oppian. Halicut. thrown upon a deſart coaſt, and in lib. 1. deſcribes this fiſh in the fol- want of refreſhments, to obſerve lowing manner: They ſwim what fruits have been touched by on the ſurface of the tea, on the birds, and to venture on thoſe ** the back of their ſhells, which without further ſcruple. exactly reſemble the hulk of a VII. 174. Learn from the beaſls, ** ſhip; they raiſe two feet like de.] See Pliny's N. I. J. viii. c. © maſts, and extend a membrane 27+ where ſeveral inſtances are gi- ““ between, which ſerves as a fail; yen of animals diſcovering the me- ** the other two feet they employ dicinal efficacy of herbs, by their “ as oars at the fide. They are own uſe of them, and pointing out „ uſually ſeen in the Mediterra- % ſome operations in phyſic by © nean,” mn = | TT Y * SL TT * Pn +. — Co Tod \ i Wy * - 7"_— 38 Ess Ax ON Man, « Entangle Juſtice in her net of Law, * And right, too rigid, harden into wrong; < Still for the ung too weak, the weak too ſtrong. c Yet go! and thus o'er all the creatures ſway, 195 © Thus let the wiſer make the reſt obey, cc And for thoſe Arts mere Inſtinct could afford, © Be crown'd as Monarchs, or as Gods ador'd.” Great Nature ſpoke ; obſervant Men obey'd ; Cities were built, Societies were made : 200 Here roſe one little ſtate ; another near Grew by like means, and join'd, thro' love or fear, Did here the trees with ruddier burdens bend, And there the ſtreams in purer rills deſcend ? What War could raviſh, Commerce could beſtow, And he return'd a friend, who came a foe. 206 Converſe and Love mankind might ſtrongly draw, When Love was Liberty, and Nature Law. Thus States were form'd; the name of King unknown, Till common int'reſt plac'd the ſway in one. 219 Twas VIRTUE ONLY (or in arts or arms, Diffuſing bleſſings, or averting harms) The fame which in a Sire the Sons obey d, A Prince the Father of a People made. Till then, by Nature crown'd, each Patriarch fate, King, prieſt, and parent of his growing ſtate; 2106 VER. 20g. Thus States were tions; the love which each maſter Ferm d.] i. e. When men had no of a family had for thoſe under hit need to guard their native rights care being their beſt ſecurity» from their governors by civil pac- Ep, III. C In vain thy Reaſon finer webs ſhall draw, III. 195 200 vn; 210 ite, 16 iſer - his Ep. III. Es SAV ON Man, 39 On him, their ſecond Providence, they hung, Their law his eye, their oracle his tongue. He from the wond' ring furrow call'd the food, Taught to command the fire, controul the flood, 220 Draw forth the monſters of th'abyſs profound, Or fetch th' aerial eagle to the ground. Til drooping, ſick' ning, dying, they began Whom they rever'd as God to mourn as Man: Then, looking up from ſire to ſire, explor'd 255 One great firſt father, and that firſt ador'd. Or plain tradition that this All begun, Convey'd unbroken faith from fire to fon, The worker from the work diſtinct was known, And ſimple Reaſon never fought. but one: 230 Eer Wit oblique had broke that ſteddy light, Man, like his Maker, faw that all was right, To Virtue, in the paths of Pleaſure, trod, And own'd a Father when he own'd a God, Lovys all the faith, and all th'allegiance hen; 235 For Nature knew no right divine in Men, Ven. 219. He from the toond'ring j 4rreww, Kc.) 1. e. He ſubdued the intractability of all the four ele- ments, and made them ſubſervient to the uſe of Man. VIX. 225. Then, looking up from fire te fire, &c.] The — — makes their more ſerious attention to Religion to have ariſen, not from their gratitude amidſt abundance, but from their helpleſeneſs in diſ- tren ; by ſhewing that during the former ſtate they reſted in iecond cauſes, the immediaie authors of their blefling, whom they revered as Cod: but that in the other they reaſoned up to the Firſt; Then locking up from ſi re ts fire, Ec. This, I am afraid, is but too true a repreſentation of human nature. VII. 231. £'er Nit cöligue, &c.] A beautiful allufon to the eſtects of the priſmatic glaſs en the rays of light. / | ; 40 Es884Y on MAN. No ill could fear in God ; and underſtood A ſov'reign being but a ſov'reign good, True faith, true policy, united ran, That was but love of God, and this of Man, 240 Who firſt taught fouls enſlav'd, and realms undone, Thenormous faith of many made for one; That proud exception to all Nature's laws, T'invert the world, and counter-work its Cauſe ? Force firſt made Conqueſt, and that conqueſt, Law ; Till Superſtition taught the tyrant awe, 246 Then ſhar'd the Tyranny, then lent it aid, And Gods of Conqu'rors, Slaves of Subjects made: She midſt the light'ning's blaze, and thunder's ſound, When rock'd the mountains, and when groan'd the ground, 250 She taught the weak to bend, the proud to pray, To Pow'r unſeen, and mightier far than they; She, from the rending earth and burſting ſkies, Saw Gods deſcend, and hends infernal riſe : Here fx'd the dreadful, there the bleſt abodes; 255 Fear made her Devils, and weak Hope her Gods; Gods partial, changeful, paſſionate, unjuſt, Whoſe attributes were Rage, Revenge, or Luſt; Such as the ſouls of cowards might conceive, And, form'd like tyrants, tyrants would believe. 260 Zeal then, not charity, became the guide, And hell was built on ſpite, and heav'n on pride. Ep. III. VrR. 262+ Ard bell was built, content to go to Heav'n without be- &c.} This might very well be ſaid ing received on the footing of 3 of thoſe times, when no one was Grd, 1 40 235 260 Ep. III. Ess AV ON Man. 41 Then ſacred ſeem'd th'etherial vault no more; Altars grew marble then, and reek'd with gore: Then firſt the Flamen taſted living food ; 265 Next his grim idol ſmear'd with human blood ; With Heav'n's own thunders ſhook the world below, And play'd the God an engine on his foe, So drives Self- love, thro' juſt and thro' unjuſt, To one Man's pow'r, ambition, lucre, luſt: 270 The ſame Self-love, in all, becomes the cauſe Of what reſtrains him, Government and Laws. For, what one likes if others like as well, What ſerves one will, when many wills rebel ? How ſhall he keep, what, ſleeping or awake, 275 A weaker may ſurpriſe, a ſtronger take? His ſafety muſt his liberty reſtrain: All join to guard what each defires to gain. Forc'd into virtue thus by Self-defence, Ev'n Kings learn'd juſtice and benevolence : 280 delf-love forſook the path it firſt purſu'd, And found the private in the public good. Twas then, the ſtudious head or gen'rous mind, Follow'r of God or friend of human kind, Poet or Patriot, roſe but to reſtore 285 The Faith and Moral, Nature gave before ; Ver. 283. Tat then, the ſtu- had principally in view, were So- diaus bead, &c.] The poet ſeems crates and Arittotle, who, of all here to mean the polite and flour- the pagan world, ſpoke beſt of God, iſhing age of Greece; and thoſe and wrote beſt of Governments benefaCtors to Mankind, which he 4.2 Es8stAY on Man. Ep. III. Re-lum'd her ancient light, not kindled new; If not God's image, yet his ſhadow drew : Taught Pow'r's due uſe to People and to Kings, Taught nor to ſlack, nor ſtrain its tender ſtrings, 290 The leſs, or greater, ſet ſo juſtly true, That touching one muſt ſtrike the other too, Till jarring int'reſts of themſelves create Th' according muſic of a well-mix'd State. Such is the World's great harmony, that ſyrings 295 From Order, Union, full Conſent of things! Where ſmall and great, where weak and mighty, made To ſerve, not ſuffer, {trengthen, not invade, More pow'rful each as needful to the reſt, And, in proportion as it bleſſes, bleſt, 300 Draw to one point, and to one centre bring Eeaſt, Man, or Angel, Servant, Lord, or King. For Forms of Government let fools conteſt; Whate'er is beſt adminiſter'd is beſt : For Modes of Faith let graceleſs zealots fight; 305 His can't be wrong whoſe life is in the right: In Faith and Hope the world will diſagree, But all Mankind's concern js Charity : All muſt be falſe that thwart this One great End, And all of God, that bleſs Mankind or mend. 310 VER. 288. If nit Ged's image, Harrington, Wildman, Neville, &c. &c.] As reverencing that truth abcut the ſeveral forms of a legi- which tells us that this full diſco- timate policy. very was reſerved for the Glorinus Ver. 305. For Modes of Faith Goſpel of Chriſt, aubo is the IMAGE let graceleſs zealots fight.) Such 38 | of Cod, 2 Cor. iv. 4. When, Fackjon, about the ſeveral VER. 303. For Forms of Ce- modes of the Chriſtian faith un- vernment let fools conteſt. } Such as explained in Scripture. III. 290 295 dle 300 305 10 &e. egi ath 135 eral un; Ep. III. ES SALT ON Man, 43 Man, like the gen'rous vine, ſupported lives; The ſtrength he gains is from th' embrace he gives. On their own Axis as the Planets run, Vet make at once their circle round the Sun: So two conſiſtent motions act the Soul; 315 And one regards Itſelf, and one the Whole. Thus God and Nature link'd the gen'ral frame, And bade Self-love and Social be the ſame. a __- * 181 EPISTLE IV. Of the Nature and State of Man with re- ect to Happineſs. H HapPIN ESS! our being's end and aim; Good, Pleaſure, Eaſe, Content! whate' er thy name: That ſomething ſtill which prompts th' eternal ſigh, For which we bear to live, or dare to die, Which till ſo near us, yet beyond us lies, 5 O'er-look'd, ſeen double, by the fool, and wiſe. Plant of celeſtial ſeed ! if dropt below, Say, in what mortal ſoil thou deign'ſt to grow? Fair op'ning to ſome Court's propitious ſhine, Or deep with di'monds in the flaming mine? 10 Twin'd with the wreaths Parnaſſian lawrels yield, Or reap'd in iron harveſts of the field? EprsT. IV. The two foregoing Epiſtles having conſidered Man with regard to the Means, that is, in all his relations, whether as an Individual, or a Member of Sccie- ty; this laſt comes to conſider him with regard to the End, that is, Happineſs. VER. 6. O'er-l258'd, ſeen double. O'erloePd by thoſe who place Hap- pineſs in any thing excluſive of Virtue; ſeen double by thoſe who admit any thing elle to have a ſhare with Virtue in procuring Happi- neſs; theſe being the two general miſtakes that this Epiſtle is em- ployed in confuting. 2 2 Ard [| re- 10 ap of ho are pi- ral m- Ep. IV. Ess AY ON Man. 45 Where grows? — where grows it not? — If vain our We ought to blame the culture, not the foil: ( toil» Fix'd to no ſpot is Happineſs ſincere, 15 Tis no where to be found, or ev'ry where; 'Tis never to be bought, but always free, And fled from Monarchs, ST. Joan ! dwells with thee. Aſk of the Learn'd the way, the Learn'd are blind, This bids to ſerve, and that to ſhun mankind ; 20 Some place the bliſs in action, ſome in eaſe, Thoſe call it Pleaſure, and Contentment theſe z Some ſunk to Beafts, find pleaſure end in pain; Some ſwell'd to Gods, confeſs ev'n Virtue vain Or indolent, to each extreme they fall, 25 To truſt in ev'ry thing, or doubt of all. Who thus define it, ſay they more or leſs Than this, that Happineſs is Happineſs ? Take Nature's path, and mad Opinion's leave, All ſtates can reach it, and all heads conceive ; 30 Vrx. 21, 22. Some place the bliſs in atttgn, — Some ſunk to Beaſts, &c.] 1. Thoſe who place Happineſs, or the ſummum bonum, in Pleaſure, "Hom, ſuch as the Cyrenaic ſect, called on that account the Hedo- nic. 2. Thoſe who place it in a certain tranquillity or calmneſs of Mind, which they call Euvvula, ſuch as the D * * I SEE IS . E tf” w_ "TY Ep. IV. Essay on Man, 61 Shall then this verſe to future age pretend Thou wert my guide, philoſopher, and friend? 390 That urg'd by thee, I turn'd the tuneful art From ſounds to things, from fancy to the heart ; For Wit's falſe mirror held up Nature's light ; Shew'd erring Pride, WHATEVER 1s, IS RIGHT ; That RE As ON, PAss10N, anſwer one great aim; 395 That true SELF-LOVE and SOCIAL are the ſame; That VIRTUE only makes our Bliſs below; And all our Knowledge is, OURSELVES TO KNOW, \ Sa. | ; r pf N 9 9 * 7 1 2 3 2 EC he — 2 — * - } i % UNIVERSAL = » 9 I 4 . * * A 1 Nee 9 *.. oaks. * — pf * Fo 2 * * —_— * — w WE. : TS 4 g b 3 4 : ' . ; i " : : ö 4 ” * n ls % N * — 7 ” "WS . - = 5 8 = 18 1 + iy * d - g ok Ly = * 5 #4 — YL A = >. 4 * . 7 a 4 w 4 1 , ' ka 4 * 5 * o CE ny . " \ x 3 — * "Y - \ * AT HER of All! in ev'ry Age, : F In ev'ry Clime ador'd, 4 By Saint, by Savage, and by Sage, 4 | Jehovah, Jove, or Lord! 1 Thou Great Firſt Cauſe, leaſt underſtood: Who all my Senſe confin'd To know but this, that Thou art Good, — o 4 6 j Vet gave me, in this dark Eſtate, To ſee the Good from III; And binding Nature faſt in Fate, 5 Left free the Human Will. 1 [UNIVERSAL PRAYER DEO OPT. MAX. And that myſelf am blind; + 66 The UniveRsAaL PraveR, What Conſcience dictates to be done, Or warns me not to do, This, teach me more than Hell to ſhun, That, more than Heav'n purſue, What Bleſſings thy free Bounty gives, Let me not caſt away For God is pay'd when Man receives, T'enjoy is to obey. Yet not to Earth's contracted Span Thy Goodneſs let me bound, Or think Thee Lord alone of Man, When thouſand Worlds are round: Let not this weak unknowing hand Preſume Thy Bolts to throw, And deal Damnation round the land, On each I judge thy Foe: . If J am right, oh teach my heart Still in the right to ſtay ; If I am wrong, thy GRAcE impart To find that better Way; B's * 2 = 4 Save me alike from fooliſh Pride, Or impious Diſcontent, At ought thy Wiſdom has deny'd, Or ought thy Goodneſs lent. The UNIVERSAI PRAYER, 67 Teach me to feel another's Woe ; To hide the fault I ſee ; That Mercy I to others ſhow, That Mercy ſhow to me. E Mean tho? I am, not wholly ſo, Since quick'ned by thy Breath: Oh lead me whereſoc'er I go, Thro' this Day's Life or Death. This Day, be Bread and Peace my Lot: All elſe beneath the Sun Thou know'ſt if beſt beſtow'd or not, And let I'hy Will be done. To Thee, whole Temple is all Space, Whoſe Altar, Earth, Sea, Skies, One Chorus let all Being raiſe ! All Nature's Incenſe riſe | # £ No. F5 BOOKS primed for, and ſold by J. and P. Knapton 4 the Crown in Ludgate- ſtreet. * E Works of Alexander Pope, Eſq; ꝙ vols. 8vo, Selecta Poemata Italorum qui Latine ſcripſerunt. Accurante Alexandro Pope. 2 Vol. pret. 6 5. A Critical and Philotophical Commentary on Mr. Pope's Eſſay on Man. The Divixe Lecation of MOSES demonſtrated, on the Principles of a Religious Deiſt, from the Omiſſion of the Doctrine of a Future State of Rewards and Puniſhments in the Zewj/> Dipenſation. Ing Books. Vol. I. The third Edition. 1 742. 1 | Vol. II. in two Parts, the ſecond Edit. With an Appendix. With a Poſtſcript to the Author of the Principles and Connexion of Natural and Revealed Religion. And a Letter to the Right. Rev. Dr. Richard Smallbroke, Lord. . Biſhop of Lichfield and Coventry. 1742. The Alliance between Church and State : Or, the Ne- ceſſity and Equity of an Eſtabliſhed Religion and a Teſt- Law demonſtrated, from the Eſſence and End of Civil So- ciety, upon the ſundamental Principles of the Law of Nature and Nations. The ſecond Edition, 1741. Remarks on ſeveral Occaſional Reflections: In Anſwer to the Rev. Dr. Middleton, Dr. Pococte, the Maſter of the Char- ter bouſe, Dr. Richard Grey, and others. Part I. Pr. 2 «. 64. Part II. in Anſwer to the Rev. Doctors Szebbing and Sykes, A Sermon preached at the Abbey-Church at Bath, for promoting the Charity and Subſcription towards the General Hoſpital or Infitmary in that City. Price 6d. A A Faithful Portrait of Popery : A Sermon preached at St. Janes Church Weſtminſter. Price 64. SIC.” A Sermon occaſioned by the preſent Unnatural Rebellion. Preached in Mr. Allen's Chapel, at Prior-Park, near Bath, and publiſhed at his Requeſt. Price 64. | | The Nature of National Offences truly ſtated: A Sermon preached on the General Fait Day, appointed to be obſerved December 18, 1745. Price 64. An Apologetical Dedication to the Rev. Dr. HenryStebbing in Anſwer to his Miſrep reſentation: of the fame. Price 4 4. All theſe by W. V/ 4 HEAT ON, M. A. [1